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Missa Ave regina caelorum

Introduction

Missa Ave Regina caelorum, written in eight parts for two equal SATB choirs, is a ‘parody’ mass based on Victoria’s two motet settings of Ave Regina caelorum. In the sixteenth century and earlier it was a standard practice (which might well now be considered plagiarism, but was probably then considered a form of compliment) for a composer to take an existing motet or motets by another composer as a basis for creating a larger-scale work such as a mass by using, elaborating on and developing the material in the source(s) and combining this with new material to build a much larger musical structure. Sometimes, as in this case, a composer might use material drawn from his own works. Victoria used this technique to write two other double-choir masses on the basis of his own paired five- and eight-part antiphon settings (the Missa Alma redemptoris mater and the Missa Salve Regina). In the ‘Ave Regina’ mass the listener will hear throughout echoes of passages from each of the source motets and the plainsong on which they are based, together with much newly composed material, especially in the vigorous antiphonal exchanges between the two choirs in the two most wordy movements – the Gloria and the Credo.

Recordings

'The choir of Westminster Cathedral has long been noted for its distinctive Continental-style tone, which gives its performances of Latin sacred polyp ...'the choir is radiant in its home acoustic, and Martin Baker's well-researched decision to employ an understated organ 'continuo' adds small but telli ...» More

Glory be to God on high
and on earth peace, good will towards men.
We praise thee. We bless thee.
We worship thee. We glorify thee.
We give thanks to thee for thy great glory.
O Lord God, heavenly king,
God the Father almighty,
O Lord the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ,
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
Thou, that sittest at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For thou only art holy.
Thou only art the Lord.
Thou only art most high, Jesus Christ.
With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
born of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, light of light,
very God of very God,
begotten not made, being of one substance with the
Father, by whom all things were made.
Who for us men, and for our salvation,
came down from heaven.
And was incarnate
by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary,
and was made man.
And was crucified also for us
under Pontius Pilate, he suffered and was buried.
And the third day he rose again according to
the scriptures. And ascended into heaven:
and sitteth on the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory
to judge both the quick and the dead:
whose kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, Lord and
giver of life: who proceedeth from the Father and Son,
who with the Father and Son is worshipped
and glorified: who spoke by the prophets.
And in one, holy, catholic
and apostolic church. I acknowledge one
baptism for the remission of sins.
And I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.